Stratford living down to reputation

Published 1:19 pm, Monday, August 31, 2009

Last year, Stratford voters overwhelmingly supported a plan to turn Long Beach West into a nature preserve. Separately, dozens of town residents have signed up to be part of a new community gardening plan on a piece of town-owned property.

Two success stories in the making? Maybe in another town. In Stratford, both are bogged down in the usual politics and pettiness.

On Long Beach West, a dispute centers on the use of federal stimulus funds for the razing of 42 abandoned cottages and site remediation. That money, about $900,000, would likely not be enough to complete the job, but would be a huge step. After it's spent, the nonprofit Trust For Public Land, which is facilitating the sale of the property to the federal government, would be responsible for raising the remaining funds, as per last summer's agreement.

Stimulus funds were planned for infrastructure projects that can begin quickly, will create jobs, get money flowing in the economy again and produce a tangible public benefit. The work on Long Beach West satisfies every one of those requirements.

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Turning the money down is nonsensical. The money must come from somewhere, and if this money isn't spent here, it will surely go somewhere else.

Apparently, though, some town politicians overstate their position. "I didn't agree with George Bush's stimulus funding and I don't agree with President Obama's either, because it's costing taxpayers too much money," said Republican Michael Henrick in a mind-boggling display of self-importance.

Henrick, who sits on the Town Council, seems to believe his views on federal economic policy matter. In fact, this is pure local politics, and it's costing town residents.

The community gardens project has been caught in a similar mess. For all appearances, the support of any project by Mayor James R. Miron is enough for other officials to oppose it, whatever the merits.

This is an old story, and another abject lesson why nothing in Stratford is ever as easy as it should be.